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UNIT D STATES PATENT HEZEKIAH BRADDS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SCAFFOLDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,546, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed April 22,1887. Serial No.235 812. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH BRADDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scaffolding; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in platforms or scaffolding designed for the use of painters, well-borers, and others where the nature of their work requires that they should at times be at an elevation; and the objects of the invention are to provide a scafiolding which may be readily and quickly raised or lowered and with but little trouble,and which will be securely held in its elevated or raised position without any danger of its accidental dropping.

1th the above objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a scaffolding embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper plate and its parts.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a platform, andin use it is designed to have two of these plat-forms connected by one or more planks, said plank or planks being held in place by a guard or guards, a, secured to the platform, as shown. The platform A is provided at about its center with a hole or opening, 2), in which is journaled a pulley, c.

B represents metallic rods, the lower ends of which pass through the platform A near the corners of the same, and have threaded lower ends,which are engaged by nuts d. The upper ends of the rods B converge inwardly and are suitably joined together to form a loop, e.

0 represents a metallic plate which is mounted on the rods B, and is supported on said rods by shoulders f, formed on the latter. The plate 0 has an open center, and in its ends is journaled a shaft, D, having a suitable windingdrum, and having its ends extending beyond the plate 0 and provided with crank-handles g for rotating said shaft. A ratchet-wheel, E, is rigidly mounted on theshaft D,and is adapted to be engaged by a pawl, h, so that the scaffold is prevented from dropping should the operator inadvertently neglect the rope, as will more fully appear. Upon said shaft D is also mounted a friction-wheel, F,whicl1 is adapted to be engaged by a friction brake or lever, G, whereby the speed of descent of the scaffold may be readily and conveniently regulated. Projecting from one of the sides of the plate 0 is an arm,H, carrying atits outer end an idler, I.

X represents a rope which is secured to the winding-drum at one end, from which point it passes down under the pulley c and then up over a pulley, Z, secured to a building or other elevated point, and then down and secured to the loop of the rods B, said rope being guided in its passage to the pulley Z by the idler I,as is readily apparent.

By the construction thus described it will be seen that a scaffold is provided which may be readily and quickly raised or lowered and with but a minimum expenditure of power.

The arrangement of pulleys and rope, as herein described, enables the Windlass to draw the rope against the tension of the supportingrope portion, prevents liability of the rope to bind,and decreases the strain on the Windlass.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a scaffold, the combinatiomwith a platform carrying a journaled pulley at its center, of a plate supported centrally above the platform and carrying a shaft and winding-drum and mechanism for checking the descent of the platform, and a rope secured to the windingdrum, passed around the journaled pulley, and passed over a pulley located at an elevated point and secured to the platform, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a platform carrying a centrally-arranged journaled pulley, of brace-rods extending from said platform, a plate supported centrally of the platform by the brace-rods, a shaft journaled in the plate and having a winding-drum, an idler projecting from the plate, a loop at the upper ends of described, an idler projecting from the plate,

the rods, and a rope, substantially as set forth. and a rope, substantially as set forth. 1a

3. The combination, with a platform having In testimony whereof I have affixed my siga centrally-arranged pulley and a keeper or nature in presence of two witnesses.

5 keepers, of rods secured to the platform, a HEZEKIAH BRADDS.

plate supported centrally by the rods and ear- Witnesses: rying a shaft having a winding-drum, a pawl BESSIE E. YOUNG,

and ratchet, and friction wheel and brake, as J osIE KREILIOH. 

